Leipzig Christmas Market 2026: dates and times

The Leipzig Christmas market fills the old town of one of eastern Germany's liveliest cities: the Markt in front of the Renaissance Old Town Hall and the streets and squares around it, with around 300 stalls. The short answer for 2026: the market runs from Tuesday 24 November to Wednesday 23 December 2026. According to the City of Leipzig, it is open Sunday to Thursday from 11:00 to 21:00 and Friday and Saturday from 11:00 to 22:00.

Leipzig Christmas market 2026: dates and opening times

Dates and times from the City of Leipzig, which organises the market (see sources). On 22 and 23 December the market closes earlier because the areas away from the Markt are taken down overnight; on the last day mainly the stalls on the Markt itself are open.

The opening ceremony on 24 November takes place at around 17:00 on the stage on the Markt. Stalls may open from 11:00 that day and must be open from 14:00.

Compared with the other big markets in the region whose 2026 dates are official:

Leipzig opens a day before Dresden and closes a day earlier, on 23 December – so if you want to combine the two, start in Leipzig.

What to see

The heart of the market is the Markt, with the stage, the big Christmas tree and the Old Town Hall as a backdrop. From there the stalls spread through the old town – past St Nicholas Church and into the lanes towards the Augustusplatz. The city publishes a map of all areas on its website, including a 3D map.

Things to look out for:

• Christmas pyramid by St Nicholas Church in past years, a tradition of the Ore Mountains in Saxony.
• Children's programme: the city lists an elves' workshop (Wichtelwerkstatt), Father Christmas "office hours" and a fairy-tale quiz for children.
• Stage programme: concerts and performances on the stage on the Markt – the city publishes the daily programme.
• Market mugs: every year the market has its own mug for mulled wine, which many visitors keep as a souvenir.

Weather in December

Averages 2015–2024 from the ERA5 reanalysis (via Open-Meteo), rounded.

December in Leipzig is cold and fairly dry, often close to freezing in the evening. Warm shoes, gloves and a hat make a long evening at the market much nicer. YesTrip shows you the forecast for your actual travel days and suggests matching clothes in the packing list.

Tips for your visit

• Weekdays are calmer: Friday and Saturday evenings are the busiest; weekday afternoons are relaxed.
• Combine with Dresden: Leipzig and Dresden are about an hour apart by train, so you can see both markets on one weekend.
• Look beyond the market: St Thomas Church, where Bach worked, the Mädler Passage arcade and the Museum of Fine Arts are all a few minutes' walk from the stalls.

Getting there

Leipzig is easy to reach by train: from Berlin the ICE takes a little over an hour, and Leipzig main station is a short walk from the old town and the market. From London, the easiest way is usually a flight to Berlin and the train onwards. Connections are easy to compare at train tickets to Leipzig^* (Omio).

If you arrive on the day you leave and want a last evening at the market, there is luggage storage in Leipzig^* (Radical Storage) near the centre. From outside the EU, a travel eSIM for Germany^* (Airalo) is usually cheaper than roaming; our eSIM price index compares the prices per gigabyte.

Where to stay

• Old town (Zentrum): everything on foot, right next to the market.
• Around the main station: practical for train travellers, five to ten minutes' walk from the Markt.
• Südvorstadt or Waldstraßenviertel: quieter neighbourhoods with cafés, a short tram ride from the centre.

Hotels in Leipzig fill up on Advent weekends; book early if you travel on a Friday or Saturday.

More Christmas markets

If you want to see more markets this season, the Dresden Striezelmarkt 2026 is an hour away by train, and the Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt 2026 is one of the most famous in Germany. Our overview of the best Christmas markets in Europe compares the classics.

In YesTrip, "What's on" lists festivals, events and holidays on the days of your trip, and you can add them to the day plan with one tap.

Also for the same trip: Erfurt Christmas market 2026.

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